Time, and Time Again
by FuryOfTheBlackbird
Summary: Time, and time again, we are destined to meet. Time and time again, I will fail to save you…
1. Introduction

Hey, what do you know, I'm writing a Frozen fanfiction.

Based off a creepy dream I had. I plan on continuing it, but it may not be for awhile. We'll see how things go.

Also, you Elsa lovers might hate me for this... But it turns out well, I promise! I don't want to spoil much, but time travel is involved!

* * *

**Time, and Time Again**

_Introduction_

Elsa blinked, but the blurriness wasn't going away. Footsteps, rattling chains. The outline of a hazy figure approached, lifting a slender leg to step over the motionless shape of a person lying on the floor, a knife sticking out of their back. "Anna, wake up, Anna." Elsa whispered, but she didn't move. No, it couldn't have been Anna, the hair was all wrong, but Elsa could have sworn it was her just a moment ago…

The figure moved closer, their worn leather boots wrapped in chains, a pointed bird like mask obscuring their face. They crouched, letting their ragged purple cloak brush the stone floor, and cocked their head in a bird like fashion, their lifeless, painted, black eyes staring at her. "W-who?" Elsa tried to ask, but it seemed her voice no longer worked. The figure reached out a hand, and with soft, slender fingers she brushed the hair away from Elsa's face. Were those tears, running down the bird person's neck? Elsa didn't know, for a murky grayness clouded her vision.

The bird person stood up again, tilting its head towards the sky, and then they shrieked. It was a truly terrible sound, like the strangled, painful cries of a million crows all calling at once. And the wretched frail thing kept shrieking, its black hair rising into the air, crackling with energy. It was in pain; Elsa could see that clearly, and she pitied it. If only she could help it, she thought, if only… and she closed her eyes. The queen was dead.


	2. Chapter 1: Fire and Ice

**Time, and Time Again**

**Chapter 1**

_Fire and Ice_

_Time, and time again, _

_We are destined to meet. _

_Time and time again, _

_I will fail to save you…_

* * *

A mixture of snow and grit pressed against her face, the cold stabbing her bare cheeks like millions of needles. Feeling as though she were going to suffocate, she rolled herself onto her back. The process of it was much more painful than she thought it would be, however it seemed she no longer had the strength to react. Flames danced around the edge of her vision, bright orange and red against the plumes of black smoke that filled the sky. Screams came from every direction, too numerous to count, and all beyond rescue. She was shoved violently with the bottom of someone's boot, and she gasped in pain.

"Still alive I see." She knew that voice; it was Vayne the witch clan leader's daughter. "You just don't give up do you, Myra." Myra, that was her name, but that didn't matter anymore. Vayne was going to kill her, and Vayne always got what she wanted. "Even when you knew you weren't strong enough to stop me, you still tried. That's impressive."

"She doesn't deserve this." Myra whispered, though that was not what she intended. "None of them deserve this." Vayne crouched down beside her, her black hair falling around her face.

"Nor did we deserve exile." Vayne said dangerously. She grabbed the frail young woman by her neck, and with one hand held her up towards the smoke blackened sky.

"And nobody deserves to die." Myra gasped.

"You know what? That voice of yours is getting awful annoying." Vayne said in a low voice. "How about I fix that?" Myra's eyes widened

"No-" Myra thrashed, and clawed at her captors hand, though Vayne showed no sign of struggle. She just stood, smiling up at Myra as if savouring the sight. Things were always like this, even when they were children. Vayne was always best at the destructive types of magic, though her sheer power alone was impressive. Their mentor praised her constantly, while Myra often stood to the side, strength paling in comparison. However, there was always one thing Myra could do, that Vayne couldn't.

"Why don't you use it huh?" Vayne growled. Her grip tightened, so that every breath became a struggle. "That monster power of yours, go on use it!" Vayne's hand glowed white hot, searing the skin around Myra's neck, and she let go. Myra fell to the ground, clutching her neck. "Huh, I guess not." Once, as a child, she had spilled boiling water all down her arm. However, the pain that she had experienced then was nothing compared to the agony inflicted on her by Vaynes magic. She opened her mouth to scream, but only silence came out. Nobody would hear her now, not even the search party that would eventually come. "To think they taught it to you, and not me. What a waste." Vayne muttered. Her boot connected with Myra's head one last time, and the blackness took her.

* * *

Elsa opened her eyes, awakening the fluttering sound of book pages turning themselves in the wind. The window was open, letting in the cold breeze of late October. Normally Elsa kept them closed due to Anna's frequent presence in her room, but she was going to be gone a few days. On an ice-harvesting trip with Kristoff, Anna had told her, so for now she could enjoy the refreshing chill they let in. But she must have gotten too comfortable, as it seemed she had dozed off with her nose in a book.

It was nice to know that her had sister found her special someone, but without Anna's lively chatter, the castle seemed empty again. Even in her days of isolation the castle was never this quiet because no matter how hard she had tried, there was no blotting out the sound of Anna's footsteps dancing around the halls, or the sound of her voice drifting past her lonely doorway… But those dark days were behind her now. There was no need to think of such things anymore.

"Queen Elsa." There was a knocking at her door. Kai's muffled voice drifted into her study.

"Come in." Elsa called, and the door opened. The soft yellow glow of an oil lantern filled the room, casting yellowish light onto Kai's face.

"Please excuse my intrusion, your highness. There is something that demands your attention."

"Is it urgent?"

"No, not particularly, but that does not diminish it's importance." Kai said. The lantern's flame wavered, causing shadows to dance across the walls. "Please, do come."

It was dark in the halls of the castle, as the servants had not yet gone around to light the lamps. Preparations for the annual fall festival were well underway, and the servants of the castle were far too busy already, so it did not surprise Elsa that they were somewhat late.

Kai led her deep in the tunnels under the castle, where even the servants rarely went. This part of the castle was nearly ancient, and was the subject of many strange rumors amongst the servants. Ghosts and spirits lived down there; Elsa would often hear them whisper amongst themselves. But Elsa didn't believe in such silly things.

They rounded a curve in the tunnel, and the light from Kai's lantern fell upon a wrought iron gate. Just beyond she could make out the shapes of stone slabs, laid out row upon row. Tombs. Kai had brought her to a crypt. Elsa's spine prickled, a natural reaction to the cold she told herself, which would have made sense, if the cold had ever bothered her at all.

The servant pulled a ring of keys out of his pocket, and using the oldest, rustiest one of the lot, he unlocked the wrought iron gate. Not a word came out of his mouth, not even as the number of tombs they passed grew larger. Each had a name etched upon them, though they walked quickly, and Elsa was only able to catch glimpses of them. They were people once, however hard that was for her to believe, though any memory of them had since withered away, leaving behind only their names. Names, as it seemed, were meaningless without the memories that went along with them.

"Just a little further…" Kai muttered.

At the furthest end of the room, was an empty tomb. Just like the others, a name was etched onto it in runic symbols. Elsa knew what it said though. After the number of times the castle tutor had forced her to write her own name in runes, it was hard to forget what it looked like. Ice seeped through the soles of her shoes, and coated the stone below. It crept towards the empty tomb, spiraling up its stone face like tiny flowers of ice. Blue eyes alight with confusion, she took a step backwards.

"There was a legend once, telling of the follies of the first king of Arendelle. Most details have been lost to time, but this one told of his particularly bad handling of a conflict between the witches of the north and the common folk of Arendelle. During this conflict, the witches nearly destroyed Arendelle. They had king down on his knees, his defeat imminent. The queen of all witches emerged from the crowd, and instead of outright killing him as the king expected her to, she asked him to bring forth their firstborn child. And so he did, and she took the child into her hand. 'Shall the firstborns of your descendants forever be bound by the magic of ice, and by fear and isolation, let it be their destruction.' She is said to have proclaimed. And so it was for the hundreds of years that followed, her warning unheeded by all. The curse trickled its way town the royal family tree, leaving a trail of death behind it." Kai pointed his lantern towards the series of tombs, lined up row by row, their numbers finally making sense. "Such a shameful thing, it's no wonder your ancestors chose to hide it."

"Why didn't my parents tell me this?" She asked, surprised her voice still worked.

"They were hoping you would never have to know, but I knew, eventually someone was eventually going tell you. I just never figured it would be me." Kai sighed heavily. "They tried to give you a normal life Elsa, but that day when you struck your sister, they couldn't help but give in to the fear. Because of their actions the cycle very nearly repeated itself, but there was one thing the witch queen didn't account for."

"Anna…" She whispered. Elsa wrapped her arms around the balding servant, and held him tight. It took everything she had to hold the tears at bay.

"Thank you Kai," she said, "for telling me all of this."

They walked back to Elsa's study, her and Kai. Too much was on her mind to say anything, so she stayed silent. The lamps were lit now, and Kai had extinguished the lantern. Elsa had the oddest sensation that all of this had happened before, but her thoughts were interrupted by the shouting of guards, and the distinct sound of a woman's voice. It was Anna's. Her sister was home early.

"Elsa!" Anna's voice grew louder, as she drew nearer. There was a tone of anguish to her voice that Elsa had never heard before. "Elsa where are you?" Anna rounded the corner, and the instant Elsa saw her face she knew something was deeply wrong. Anna's face was covered in a mixture of tears and ash, and her clothes were in no better a condition. "Elsa, thank goodness I found you." She sobbed, burying her head into Elsa's shoulder. "It's gone…the village… th-they burned everything!"


End file.
